I admit the title is a slight exaggeration. The popcorn is only famous among the people who have tasted it., but, wow, have they raved. So, I can dream, can’t I?
The above photo is one of 84 bags I made as part of the welcome bags for my grandson’s wedding in Lake Tahoe. Making the popcorn and bagging it was a labor of love. It took almost a week and more trips to Costco then I care to count. The popcorn was a huge hit with the guests and many of them asked for the recipe. I suggested they join my newsletter and I would blog it. So here I am!
There is a back story to this popcorn. I developed the recipe a few years ago when I decided to add some peanut butter to the sugar syrup I was making for my caramel corn. It came out so good that I hired a chemist to develop the recipe into a formula for mass production. I naïvely thought that I might start a popcorn business. That bubble burst quickly when I learned the next step was to purchase a machine to coat the popcorn. That meant renting a place to make it, hiring people to bag it, and on and on. It was a pipe dream, or should I say a pop dream. It quickly died in mid air.
The recipe
I have broken the recipe into steps that make it very easy to follow. But be forewarned. You need to balance three things at the same time. 1. Freshly made popcorn. Warmer popcorn makes it easier to toss. 2. Sugar syrup cooked to 300 degrees on the stove. 3. Peanut butter and PB2 melted and hot in the microwave.
The ingredients
It only takes seven ingredients, plus salt, and you most likely have peanut butter, sugar, butter, vanilla, and light corn syrup in your pantry. PB2 is simply powdered peanut butter without the oil. You can get it on Amazon if you can’t find it near you. This recipe is chemistry, so unless you understand it more than I do, I would advise following it exactly.
I experimented with several different types of popcorn, all purchased from my local supermarket. I preferred Safeway’s Yellow Organic to Newman's Own and Orville Redenbacher's, but they all work fine. I grew up on Skippy’s and below is one of the 6 large jars I purchased at Costco to make the recipe 21 times over a six day period, including bagging and labeling.
Simple ingredients which you most likely have in you pantry—-except for the PB2. It is available from Amazon, if you can’t find it locally. The only other ingredients are a stick of unsalted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt.
The Equipment
It doesn’t take a lot, but the equipment is pretty specific. First you need a popcorn popper. Mine is made by Cuisinart (check out the photo below) and it is simply a plastic one, pretty flimsy, but it ended up being a work horse. It’s not expensive and does the job with very few old maids.
A heavy-duty 4 quart saucepan for the sugar syrup, a candy thermometer, a couple of rubber spatulas, a good scale for ounces, and hot pads are a must. You’ll also need a roasting pan. The one like mine in the back of the photo works great, 12x18 inches. I also recommend wearing disposable nitrile gloves to protect your hands.
Weigh the peanut butter and PB2 on a scale in a small microwavable bowl.
Cuisinart popcorn popper has held up for many years. It proved its worth after being used over 20 times for this one occasion. I popped the corn right into the roasting pan.
When the thermometer reaches 300 degrees, quickly remove the thermometer and stir in the melted peanut butter, PB2 and vanilla.
Although I only show one rubber spatula, most of the time I use two. When the popcorn cools, break it up into small portions.
Marlene’s Peanut Butter Popcorn
(I highly recommend wearing nitrile gloves to ensure hot popcorn doesn’t hit your hands while stirring.)
Slightly over 1/2 cup (425 oz.) unpopped popcorn kernels (slightly over 1/2 cup)
5 oz. (slightly less than 2/3 cup) peanut butter
3/4 oz. (.75 oz.) PB2
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) sugar
1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup corn syrup (spray measuring cup with vegetable coating for easy removal)
|1 Tbs. vanilla
1. As close to making the syrup as possible, pop the corn according manufacturer’s instructions. It is best to have the popcorn as freshly made as possible. Put popcorn into a large roasting pan (about 12x18 inches).
2. Put a small microwave-safe bowl onto a scale and zero it out. Add enough peanut butter to measure 5 oz. Return scale to zero and add 3/4 oz. PB2. Microwave on high for 50 seconds. Stir with a rubber spatula until completely smooth. Return the bowl to the microwave. Reheat for 15 seconds when sugar syrup is close to 300 degrees.
3.In a heavy non-reactive 4 qt. saucepan, bring butter, sugar, salt, and syrup to a bubble over moderate heat. Stir until incorporated. Add a candy thermometer.
4. Increase heat to moderately high and cook butter mixture to 300 degrees, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula.
5.Immediately stir in warm peanut butter mixture and vanilla until incorporated.
6.Using pot holders, pour syrup over popcorn. Stir with 2 large rubber spatulas until popcorn is as evenly coated as possible. (There will be some kernels without syrup. No worries.) Break up large pieces. Cool in pan or dump onto a sheet of aluminum foil.
To prepare ahead: Stored tightly covered. I’ve made it 2 weeks ahead.
Makes about 12 cups.
